Rehtaeh Parsons investigation leads to two arrests

Rehtaeh Parsons’ father says it’s a bittersweet day as RCMP announced the arrests of two males in the case of the teen’s alleged sexual assault.

The 17-year-old Halifax girl was taken off life-support following a suicide attempt in April. Her family says she was bullied for months after a digital photo of her allegedly being sexually assaulted was passed around her school.

“It’s a bit of a bittersweet moment because my daughter’s dead now and she’ll never know what justice was for her,” said Glen Canning, Parsons’ father.

“I’m on one hand feeling very grateful to the RCMP officers who took on this case,” said Canning. “I think he did the best that he could and he tried really hard to bring this to a conclusion for us.”

“I’m also saddened that it took her dying to make [the arrests] come about.”

The two unidentified males were arrested at their respective homes in the Halifax area around 8 a.m. Thursday. Canning was notified soon after and said he was grateful police called him before he found out through media reports.

They later reopened their investigation, saying they received new information.

“I’ve seen some of the evidence that came forward once Rehtaeh died and it’s pretty damning stuff,” said Canning.

Rehtaeh’s death sparked national outrage and prompted the Nova Scotia government to launch reviews of the RCMP’s original investigation into the case and the school board’s handling of the matter.

An independent review released in June concluded the Halifax Regional School Board could have done a better job, but it was hindered by the fact that Rehtaeh was often absent from class.

Only a day before the arrests, the province introduced new laws to empower the victims of bullying by allowing them to sue their tormentors, even their parents.

The law, which is essentially the Rehtaeh Parsons Act in all but name, also includes changes to the Education Act to pass more responsibility to school principals to act on bullying, whether or not it happens on school grounds.